


Pretending

by kimmy_lin



Category: Kpop - Fandom, Super Junior
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M, Romantic Comedy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-18
Updated: 2019-04-11
Packaged: 2019-11-23 11:52:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18151535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kimmy_lin/pseuds/kimmy_lin
Summary: Donghae wants to meet his one and only. The girl he is going to marry and have children with. It's too bad he has this large group of university students who call themselves his fans, scaring everyone away. That's why an afternoon of despair he gets this outrageous but brilliant idea: to pretend to be gay.Or the one were Lee Donghae learns the hard way love is love.





	1. There's a reason why stalking is frowned upon

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Pretending](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/471536) by kimmy_lin. 



> I apologize if I made horrible grammar mistakes. This is unbetaed. I dreamt about this and couldn't let it go. This is my first EunHae ff. I plan this to have 20 chapters. We'll see. Also if there's a girl character that's known for being the worst bitch it will help me for the next chapters. I have some in mind. But I'm still not sure. She will be after Donghae so I hope you guys can give some recommendations. Now. Here it is. Enjoy. And thanks for giving my story an opportunity.

It was a sunny Tuesday afternoon when Lee Donghae decided he had enough.

He was a diligent second-year student of communications at Seoul’s University and he - for the love of god - didn’t deserve any of this. He had enough of those girls who called themselves “his fans”. A group of girls who would watch over his every move like he was some kind of celebrity.

He just didn’t get it. Nor he wanted to.

Donghae just wanted to fucking pass his midterm exams and pretty much had a normal life like every other college student of his damn age. He wanted to study hard and get a great job so he could give back to his parents. To travel the world. But the most important thing amongst everything in his dreamy future… to finally meet her. Yeah. The one. The woman who he'll be spending the rest of his life with. Fall his brains out in love with her and keep his promise to protect her forever.

He didn’t care if he sounded like a corny romance shoujo character wannabe. Those were his life goals. Donghae wanted all of that and he wasn’t ashamed of it. People were entitled to their own desires after all. He didn’t want to cure cancer or be a part of a worldwide famous boy band, okay? He just wanted a family his parents would be proud of.

So please tell him, why the fuck was he stuck in the middle of this large group of girls that didn’t even actually want to meet him as a real person? Instead, they just wanted to take pictures of him far away from the bushes – flash on because who the fuck cared about his corneas, right? And left him anonymous presents while creeping him out – like leaving baskets outside his apartment door. He had to move out of the dorms because of them.

Donghae was sick of it. They relied too much on his good manners to be able to tolerate all of this. Did he needed to go nuts? Was that what they wanted? All this rubbish only scared away all the normal people around him. He was being isolated because everyone felt intimidated or even threatened by his so-called fans.

And he just - he wished he knew how to handle this.

He was never warned that having appealing features would mean this. They were his genes. It wasn't his fault every new haircut he got made him stand out more. He was thankful for his good looks, okay? He worked out daily and got skincare from time to time. But all that bullshit rippled his mind to the point of not even wanting to see himself in the mirror.

What use did his beauty even had?

The man smacked his head against the bookshelf of the library out of despair.

"Damn it…" He regretted in pain

His mother told him once that showing aggression towards a woman in whatever form was dishonorable.

But maybe his mother wasn’t aware of this particular kind of girls. Maybe he could just….

"Are you done, Mr. Lee?"

_Oh god. Was he thinking out loud?_

A middle-aged woman frowned at him through a pair of thick round glasses. Myrtha - the librarian, disapproved at him and pointed the exit. "I’m sure you want to sort your business out of my library."

"I’m sorry." He pleaded.

"Out." She repeated merciless and proceeded back to her patrol.

Donghae gathered his stuff into his backpack with an oh so sad face. Myrtha wasn't moved though. The man accepted his defeat and put his cap on his way out. 

_Great! Just been thrown out of the only place they can’t actually follow me. Wonderful._

Donghae sneaked carefully through the corridors. He wasn’t in the mood to deal. Seriously. He wished he didn’t end up running into any of them. He feared he would react in the worst way possible.

He arrived succesfully to the fifth level of the “C” building, hoping to hide in one of the study classrooms and finally end his assignments but quickly realized all of them were occupied by spying through the doors. He wanted to scream out of annoyance. He had almost two free hours between his scheduled classes and zero friends. He was about to lose it… until he saw it.

This yard behind the east auditory. He had never seen it or heard anyone talking about it. Maybe it was occupied with something. After all, he could only see the part at the back but he figured it was worth a try.

He would have to go around the laboratory building. Donghae's eyes wandered across the perimeter in seconds. Doing an estimate, he could say it was almost 3 meters wide. It was the perfect place to hide.

He took the stairs down. Elevators were too open to risk it. Careful to bump nobody he pretended to go to the laboratory bathrooms and when the path was clear he sneaked through the staff only exit door at the back.

There were lockers and cleaning supplies that extended from right to left. Additionally, the left end continued with some sort of passage, it was paved to where the laboratory building ended. Donghae could see the sun shining on the grass past it. The only thing in his way was a fence. He assumed they really didn't want anyone there. The fence wasn't small but he managed to jump to the other side.

The place was silent. Donghae took some wary steps until he got to the end of the passage.

The yard was beautiful. It had tall plants and flowers at the center. It even had a tree in the east corner close to him. Donghae decided to settle at the foot of the tree so the sun wouldn't bother him. The yard/garden was actually connected to the east auditory through another staff only door. But it wasn't a problem. If someone were to walked in they wouldn't be able to spot him at a simple view. Maybe they were growing a special flower or something.

Donghae placed his backpack as a pillow, put an alarm on his cellphone and then closed his eyes.

"Shit... if I could only find the holy way to get rid of them." He growled under his breath.

He wasn’t angry anymore. The tranquility and distant crooning of birds canceled all his thoughts. He was actually a simple man like that. Donghae gave up and changed his position to lay sideways, eyes still closed.

It was then when he heard the voice of another person.

"Even though I was in the rain, I liked it. Because they were traces you left behind. Because longing is beautiful pain and I thought I could endure it."

It was a soft rap. A damn good one, full of emotions that left him gasping. Donghae couldn't help to stretch his head to try to identify the singer.

About 3 meters away from him, behind the tall plants, Donghae could make out the silhouette of what appeared to be a dude lying on the grass with his arms and legs stretched out. His medium-long black hair spread on the ground. The sun's rays fell directly on his face but it didn't seem to bother him. His big round glasses shined hiding away his features and his lips moved with the words making Donghae feel like a creep but he was too mesmerized with his talent to be able to look away.

"I had many mistakes, many scars. I’m so scared. I just wanna end it all. Rain falls and dries and disappears but you can’t just go like that, please."

A single tear escaped and streamed down the dude's cheek. To Donghae's surprise, he saw him smile. It was kind but broken. The man sat down giving Donhae his back but he could tell the dude was wiping his face.

The gasp he let out next was the saddest thing Donghae has ever witnessed.

"Don’t go away like the rain." The man finally sang and his singing voice was everything Donghae expected.

He would clap. Hell if that were an open concert maybe he would even whistle. Donghae got embarrassed that men his age were out there singing their broken hearts away meanwhile he wouldn't even know a single girl name. Damn it.

"Yah. Am I really gonna lose my mind without you even knowing?" The man shouted before dropping again to the ground.

He was smiling through his pain though. Donghae could tell the man had a golden heart. It moved him.

"Yah. I'm not going to cry for you anymore, you hear me? I'm even writing songs for you now. God. I think I have already lost my mind."

Donghae chuckled at his words. Love was indeed a beautiful thing - he thought. Hell. From where he was standing even having his heart broken would be a privilege.

The singer suspended his arms in the sky as he began to breathe in and out until he was at peace again. The man slowly smiled like he had seen something in the clouds. Donghae admired his strength. It made him wonder a lot of things about himself. He sincerely wished him luck. He could see the man had a bright future ahead. He wouldn't be surprised if he saw him on Tv at some point.

Staring with no real awareness. Donghae completely missed the arrival of a third person until he saw a pair of hands appearing out of nowhere to flick the singer's forehead.

"You better not be skipping classes Hyukjae-yah," the man threatened but there was a playful tone to his voice.

It was clearly a man that cleaned up well. His short black hair had natural looking waves styled to perfection. Bangs ended just an inch before his eyebrows. His ears were pierced with silver hoops and he exuded this air of effortless class Donghae had seen before but couldn't place right now. He laid next to the singer - the Hyukjae guy. They seemed really close. It didn't surprise him. The singer seemed like a laid back type of dude with a devilish sense of humor. And at the same time he was cute enough that everyone wanted to take care of him.

Donghae felt a little envious. He was also fun. It's just he didn't have anyone close enough to notice. And well. He didn't know how to rap but he could play the guitar and take good care of people.

"Yesung-hyung..." the singer whispered and Donghae had to take a moment.

He actually recalled that other dude's name. Yesung. That was a nickname. He was actually a Kim. Kim Jong-Woon. Donghae narrowed his gaze. He hasn't seen the man that close before. He had mostly heard of him. Yesung the popular sunbae on his last year, captain of the basketball team and most likely to be the next student Marshal. Yesung, who everyone knew for formally proposing to his girlfriend at last year final season game. There were videos all over twitter. The man was his hero.

Yesung smiled back at the HyukJae guy. "What’s up with that face?" He teased but his dongsaeng remained silent.

Donghae was pretty much stalking at this point, wasn't he?

"Are you punishing me for being away these last weeks? Is that what this is about?"

Hyukjae shook his head. But his hyung held him by his collar. Daring. His face remained at a distance Donghae wouldn't be cool with a guy. But they were best friends. What the hell did he even know about having a best friend?

"Don’t even try to deny it. Tell me, when was the last time you came to my house? Or we went to the movies? Or played videogames together?"

Donghae hated them a little. He wished he had someone outside his family that cared enough to put themselves in an awkward position just so they could make things up. Even if he was in the wrong. He had always been high maintenance like that. But he had a big heart. He could give back as much.

Those two made him feel a little hollow and like he was missing on things. Hyukjae was clearly something very precious to Yesung. He just needed to open more. Yesung would definitely help him with that broken heart of his.

Hyukjae eluded Yesung eyes and said, "I’ve been busy okay?"

Donghae hid a little more behind the tree just in case.

"Look at me," Yesung pleaded.

It was almost imperceptible but Donghae could swear the singer's sigh muffled a prayer.

"Look at me monkey," Yesung repeated. He sounded concerned now. "Did I do something to piss you off?"

"No," Hyukjae replied almost instantly.

Yesung softened his gaze. "What is it, then?" He urged. Trying to aegyo his way into his dumb friend's habit of dealing with things on his own. His right-hand traveled to the chin of the singer forcing him to see directly at him. He even put Hyukjae's bangs to the side. "Talk to me."

Donghae could see HyukJae tremble. Was he going to cry?

"I just don’t want to be in the middle of you and your future wife, okay?" Donghae listened to the singer said after a few seconds.

Yesung pulled back a little, studying his friend in silence.

"What?” HyukJae whined impatiently as the seconds went by.

But Yesung remained in silence. He seemed taken back. Frown clear and eyes querying.

"I-I just mean that-you-I mean-you guys just engaged so I figured you want alone time, don’t you? I-I just-I don’t want to bother." Hyukjae said.

Yesung began to laugh at that. Very hard. He even rolled beside the singer still laughing and holding his belly as if it was going to explode at any moment.

HyukJae got flustered. "Yah! Can you tell me what the fuck are you exactly laughing at?" He demanded.

"You are really the cutest dongsaeng anyone could ever ask for..." Yesung managed to say because his laughter was in the way of him speaking properly.

HyukJae sat up annoyed. "Stop laughing, damn it!" He put his weight on his right hand as he contracted one leg to push himself up and maybe storm off but before he could Yesung grabbed his right wrist and pulled him back on the grass, on top of him.

"Are you stupid? " the sunbae asked laughing quietly, "my cute but oh so stupid dongsaeng I don't care anymore I'm going to hug you,” he advised and then proceed to actually hug the other man tightly.

“I get it, okay?" Yesung whispered in his younger friend's ear, "this jealousy. I've felt it a couple of times back in high school when you were kissing a different girl every week, " Yesung confessed.

"It wasn't like that!" HyukJae fought.

Yesung didn't let him move an inch tho. "Yes, you were! There were even rumors you turned some guys apart. But I never believed them. Obviously, If you were going for men I should've been your first, right?" He teased punching him at the side and finally letting him free.

"You're such a liar."

"We never kissed I would remember," Yesung guaranteed.

"I'm not replying because of that, you weirdo. I'm saying I didn't kiss everyone and you are exaggerating."

"I'm not. I know everything there's to know about you Lee Hyukjae. Every haircut. Every grow-spur. Every overplayed song through times. Every little habit. Every crush. All of it." Yesung swore.

"Are you entering a contest or something? You're so embarrassing, damn it." HyukJae responded by kicking him.

"I would win though," Yesung muttered - the smart ass. He had rolled to the side to ease his pain. HyukJae's kicks weren't a joke. Disrespectful bastard.

"Yeah okay whatever... you win, I was a slut. You happy?"

Yesung giggled. "Yes."

HyukJae snorted. "Why do I even put up with you?"

"It's fate. There's nothing you can do about it." Yesung answered happily.

"Yah. Don't you have somewhere to be?" the singer said faking annoyance.

"No. There's nothing more important for me than you," Yesung responded like it was obvious. His eyes were closed because of the sun hitting him straight in the face. His arms crossed supporting his head.

HyukJae was kneeling right beside him. Looking at him. He wasn't laughing or joking around anymore. His jaw was tight.

"You are a piece of me. I'm never going to stop wanting to spend time with you. To be honest, if I don’t see or hear from you for more than a couple of hours I’m already missing your nonsense. No one does that for me. Not even Yoona," Yesung said smiling. "Yah I guess I love you more. We can't tell her."

He couldn’t see the blush that pigmented his dongsaeng's cheeks. But Donghae did. It was bright and clear in front of him.

Was he processing this wrongly?

“I'm sorry if I made things weird. Now please stop saying unnecessary things you’re gonna ruin my vibe.” the singer said.

Yesung laughter was unstoppable. Donghae wondered if the man was actually that dense or just pretended.

“What vibe? The I-need-a-haircut-one? I don't know why you keep trying to hide behind it. The dance club girls are already fighting over you. You are such a hottie. There's no point of trying to hide it. Girls tend to like mysterious guys. If anything you are just making it worse."

"Yah I really hate hearing that from someone who is more handsome than me," Hyukjae yelled clenching his fist in the air so he could hit the floor hard. "My wounded pride," He joked dramatically.

Yesung followed his laughter and then took away his friend’s glasses. “Yah. Aren't you too much tho? The second there's girls mentioned your face gets all red. Yah, aren't you too innocent? I can't allow these girls to corrupt you."

Donghae couldn't believe him. He was almost completely sure that HyukJae was in love with him. And it had taken him 5 minutes. Was he really in the wrong? Or was Yesung the most oblivious person on earth?

"I would pretty much like to be corrupted," the dongsaeng muttered after some time had passed.

Yesung raised his left hand as a warning, "look at this bastard talking like a grown up. Lose the emo bangs first and then we'll talk".

“It’s not emo.”

It was - Donghae agreed.

"We have had this conversation a thousand times," Yesung retorted rolling his eyes.

Hyukjae was about to respond when Yesung's cellphone started ringing.

"My Yoona-yah," he said smiling after reading his screen.

Donghae saw Hyukjae pursing his lips and clench his fists. Oh. He was completely in the right.

"Yoona just finished her classes, do you want to have lunch with us?"

"Nah. I've had like three sandwiches just now and I have a class in 20 minutes. I'll have to pass this time. I'll call you when I'm done, okay?" The singer said with a fake smile.

But Yesung was taking a picture of one of the flowers in the center of the garden to send to his fiancee to notice. "That's too bad we'll miss you."

HyukJae shrugged, "Don't be so whiny I'll meet you guys after class, Tell Yoona I said hi"

"Ok," the hyung said. He pouted but his dongsaeng just lied down on the grass again. Not caring at all.

Yesung frowned. "You're gonna get a tan," he warned carrying his bag on his back.

"I've put sunscreen on." The dongsaeng said simply.

"Good," Yesung approved but remained standing there. Looking pitiful.

Donghae rolled his eyes. Were they filming a drama? It was unbearable to watch.

"YAH! AREN'T GONNA GIVE ME A PROPER GOODBYE HUG? "

Hyukjae startled at his hyung's shouting. He had expected him to leave but Yesung was so bad-tempered and unpredictable as always. Damn him.

"I'll finish with all that reputation of yours, right now!" Yesung growled.

What Donghae saw next, left him misplaced.

"BWAHAHAHAHAHA NO! NOO! DON'T! STOP! IM BEGGING YOU! HYUNG!"

In fact, Yesung got on top of him and began tickling him here, there, everywhere while HyukJae tried to protect himself. Fighting each other they rolled through the grass both laughing like maniacs.

"Yesoongge, you are going to break my glasses" pleaded the singer.

Yesung finally stopped, "whose fault it is?"

They were gasping for air. Still intertwined with each other. Hair and clothes were full of grass. Hyukjae's hands remained on his friend's shoulders where he tried to shove him off seconds before. His own shirt had gone up to his ribs. Yesung hands were touching his bare skin. Holding him by his waist. Thumbs pressing tiny circles. It was innocent, of course.

But Donghae could see the dongsaeng did not feel the same way.

"You should leave," the singer said. He let go of his friend and crossed his arms over his chest putting some distance. "Really, hyung. Noona must be waiting for you."

Yesung remembered his fiance and peeked at his watch. HyukJae stood up and offered his friend a hand.

"This isn't over I'll give you a truce just because I need to go," he warned his dongsaeng quickly running his hand through the singer's hair to get rid of some of the grass.

Hyukjae rolled his eyes. "God Noona could so much better."

Yesung actually laughed. "Careful now." He said and finally stood up. "I'll see you later."

Donghae hid in panic behind the three since Yesung started heading in his direction. But the man passed by his side and disappeared behind the corner.

Donghae sighed. He saw HyukJae dropped to his knees, exhausted. His bangs were completely covering his face again. The singer sat open-legged with his right elbow resting on his right knee while the ipsilateral hand sank into his head. He took off his glasses with the other hand, folded them carefully and placed them apart.

Donghae could finally trace his features. He was an attractive man. He could have any girl he wanted. Donghae wondered why. He knew nothing about homosexuality. He didn't like having prejudices. It was completely unknown territory for him after all. He had always wondered why a person would complicate their life like that. And therefore understood it couldn't be just a choice. He felt bad for the man. He couldn't possibly understand his position. Falling for your best friend seemed hard enough. Falling for your same-sex best friend. Woah.

HyukJae took deep breaths.

The same hand that had remained suspended before suddenly made his way down to his pants.

Donghae looked away. He thought that maybe the singer was going to fix his position. It happened. Sometimes they needed a tug to place things where they should be. Skinny jeans for men were tricky. But the reality of things was that before he could entirely look somewhere else he did get to see it. The bulge.

He knew what that meant. He just didn't want to believe it until he had no choice.

Donghae heard perfectly the sound of the singer now unbuttoning his pants. He petrified. "Shit," he cursed.

Shit, shit, shit.

"Fuck..." It was rather a low sound. So low it could be anything. But Donghae knew. God, he fucking knew what was coming. He studied every exit he could have. But all of them meant exposing himself.

What was he supposed to do? Was he really about to listen to a man masturbating so he could keep his cover? This wasn't happening.

He could hear HyukJae's hand slowly pulling down his zipper. Things were getting out of hand. Donghae's adrenaline went off like a volcano. His face became hot red. His heart started racing. He put his fingers in his ears. But he could still hear him clearly.

"Mhnnn," the singer's moan escaped between sighs and teeth as his hand began to rub off his shaft.

"Ngh..." the sounds of HyukJae's self-satisfaction reverberated in Donghae's red ears.

He had never heard a man pleasing himself before. It was a very uncomfortable situation. And there was nothing he could do about it. If he had endured it these much he had to hide till the very end or all of it would be pointless.

"Mmhh..." The moans were uncontrolled now. Erratic. Hyukjae was close. And Donghae would need psychiatric help after this. But he was grateful at least it all was coming to an end soon.

Donghae felt like an alien in his own skin. He didn´t know how to remain unnoticed, crouched and undignified in his hided place. The singer suddenly had gone silent. Donghae couldn't hear anything but his own heart beating loudly in his head.

What if the HyukJae guy had spotted him? He didn't know if the man had moved - he was covering his ears so hard it hurt. He had this hole in his gut twisting and fearing somehow the singer could've made his legs out and spotted him. No. He couldn't be discovered. He would dig his own grave or even kill somebody before facing this.

He didn't want to look but the silence was killing him. Was he even there anymore? Fuck.

Donghae's body fidgetted like a worm as he reunited enough courage to peak. He saw HyukJae's neck as he had his head tilted back. His right hand moved up and down just at the tip.

God damn him. Was he a degenerate? How could he masturbate in an open place like this? Donghae stopped breathing. Maybe that way he would pass out and stop existing forever, please and thank you.

"Ah... hhnn... ah," HyukJae's torso jerked forward. His body began to tremble, feeling the delicious heat building up.

"Hyung," the singer cried as he finally released.

Donghae remained as stiff as a rodent pretending to be dead. Embarrassed and perplexed. He saw the singer cursing and opening his backpack to get some kleenex.

"This cannot happen again," Hyukjae said to himself out loud as he sat up arranging his pants quickly. He even dared to look around like he had some decency.

Donghae wanted to punch him in the face. But he was too shocked and violated to move, really. Besides, there was nothing he could do about it. Maybe an anonymous complaint? No. He was not reliving this or admitting this to anyone ever.

God. Just leave already - Donghae pleaded in his mind.

He felt like having a cold shower and sleeping pills. A whole blister. He didn't know what his life was anymore. His neck hurt from maintaining such an unsuitable position. It wasn't real. He must have clearly got sleep in the library and this was just the weirdest gayest dream ever, right?

Donghae heard the singers step but didn't bother to move. This was a dream after all. He would wake up at any moment.

The sound of the auditorium door opening and closing didn't convince him either. Donghae remained crouched on the ground until his alarm finally went off.

He gagged. Turned off the alarm and breathed sharply.

"Holy," he whispered pulling his hair up with his hands, "oh my god."

Donghae incorporated. He had dirt under his nails where he had pulled the ground in acute despair.

So... that HyukJae guy was definitely gay. He had no doubts about it. He desired his hyung that much. Donghae was still a little red in the face but finally making peace with everything. He promised himself he would never stalk anyone ever again. Goddamnit.

He picked up his backpack. He had to get going or he was going to be late for class. He obviously took the fence again. He felt the flashes and the screams when he left the laboratory building but he couldn't be bothered.

Donghae made it to his class but he pretty much stared blankly to the windows. The Hyukjae guy had everything that would earn him a fan club. He was a singer on top of that. But he wasn't being  bothered. Girls probably had picked up on his sexual orientation and lost interest in him.

If people thought Donghae was gay. No one would bother him as well. He could even befriend the prettiest girls in the whole campus without being hated or singled out by the men.

But how could he make people believe him? He would have to prove them somehow. The idea pierced his brain like lightning. He didn't actually have to do anything gay. He just needed to sell people the idea, right? He would need a partner. But who? Who would voluntarily participate in his farce?

He would have to obligate someone. And for that, he would need something really good on them. Like a secret unrequited love that could ruin his beloved friendship?

Donghae considered for a minute. No. He couldn't take advantage of the poor guy like that.

On the other hand, that same bastard had obligated him to watch something he couldn't ever unsee. Ugh. That HyukJae bastard owned him for those 10 minutes he would never ever take back.

Donghae was out of his mind. His class ended and he ran out of the faculty as fast as he could. He craved his home. His bed and his shower. He stopped at a convenience store to purchase some soju. He needed alcohol.

He looked through his mail but got bored. He opened facebook and typed the name of the man absently. He saw his pictures and groaned. He wasn't in the possition to dismiss any idea.

He finished the bottle of soju on his way home. Ate a cup of ramen in total silence and got to bed early. He was going to need the extra hours for what he planned to do in the morning.

 


	2. Paper umbrella

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This song should be listened at the sad parts. Bc if we're going emo we have to do it right, okay?  
> Agradecimientos especiales: Yesung's voice.

"Excuse me?" HyukJae's tone of voice indicated he was pissed.

"Do I really have to say it again?" Donghae asked.

He was doing his best to keep a straight face but Hyukjae had this pair of brown eyes speaking so loudly it made Donghae wondered how could Yesung had missed it. Everything was right there. No devices needed. Donghae hoped someone could love him like that at some point in his life. Wich ultimately reminded him why was he doing this in the first place - and felt less like a piece of shit.

"Yes. So I can confidently punch you in the face," the singer said before standing up and storming off.

Yeah, it didn't go well. But Donghae was expecting that.

Extortion could do that to a person. He couldn't back off though. He had already dropped the bomb on the guy so he put his backpack on, picked up the book - he had pretended to be reading so he could smoothly approach the HyuJae guy 10 minutes ago - and pretty much just went after him.

"Oi! Monkey! Wait!" Donghae shouted.

People around them were alerted. Eyes fixed on the two of them. Whispers raised when people recognized him as Lee Donghae and then tried to figure out the other guy. The amount of heads turning grew in the blink of an eye, expecting. Hyukjae stopped at his nickname for a second and then fastened his pace.

Donghae had sunglasses on so nobody could see how terrified he got. He couldn't blow this up before even fucking starting. On the verge of an anxiety attack, Donghae followed Hyukjae. He decided to stay a step away. Careful enough to not push all the singer's buttons but shameless enough to make him notice.

Hands in his pockets, Donghae eyed curiously at the singer's back as the said guy made his angry walk. They were probably the same height. But Donghae was broader. Hell, probably all men would be. Hyukjae was so skinny. Pure dancer's muscle.

Yeah. Donghae had hit the singer's social media hard the night before.

Also, Hyukjae's skin was so pale. His complexion too delicate. From behind with those hips and baggy clothes, he could easily pass as a tomboyish girl. Maybe that was why Yesung treated him that way. It was all messed up anyway. Donghae shook the thought away. He needed to take action about now. People had lost track of them - thanks to God - and they weren't being followed anymore.

Hyukjae was clearly fighting himself to not make a scene every time he would turn around a corner and realize Donghae was still there.

Donghae was probably the meanest motherfucker ever for finding it entertaining. But it wasn't his fault Hyukjae made things so fun. It took the poor guy almost five floors upstairs - by walk - to finally break out. Donghae was secretly grateful.

"Are you planning to follow me all day?" Hyukjae groaned.

"You are the one running away, monkey" Donghae responded simply, shrugging.

HyukJae glared at him, "don't call me that."

"But I like it," Donghae said.

"Well, I'd like you to go to hell. But sadly we all can't have our way," the singer hissed. His eyes burned in rage.

But Donghae at this point had developed this crave for pushing this perfect well-mannered dude to his limits because this wasn't him. It was all pretend and Hyukjae needed to let himself out. For example when someone tried to blackmail him. Yeah, Donghae probably needed psychiatric help after all.

"Now you see...I can't do that."

Hyukjae tensed. He finally just stopped. As if he suddenly realized all this was a serious issue. His brown eyes finally look at Donghae's.

Then...he stood his ground.

Hyukjae leveled a surprised Donghae. Arched back and broad shoulders. It was kind of scary considering he had all this hair on his face. But you know what? It was kind of fucking pleasant as well. Because Hyukjae wasn't feminine in the slightest. He was a man. And he was ready to fight.

"There's no way of sugarcoating this. I'm blackmailing you. So hate me if you want. I just - I really need to get this over with," Donghae rushed to say.

If he got punched because of this he would suck it up. But what if Hyukjae dared him? Donghae was pure talk. He didn't have the soul to actually do something that evil. Hyukjae didn't know that though. The guy only knew how to frown. His eyes even shined for how hard he was trying to blow up Donghae's brains Sheldon Cooper style. His fists were so clenched it looked painful.

"If you think about it it'll help you too. Coming out should turn some kind of light on Yesung's dense-" Donghae tried to say.

Hyukjae grabbed him by his collar before he could continue, "don't talk about him. You don't know a single thing about him or us. So don't."

Donghae raised his arms and shut.

Hyukjae eventually let him go. His hands trembling. He denied with his head as he growled. "Why me?"

Donghae bit back his apologies.

"Are you a psychopath? If so just fucking kill me I won't put up with your messed up foreplay of torturing people."

"I don't want to torture you or kill you. I don't want to harm you. I have nothing against you. Or you being gay. Honestly, I just happened to run into you guys at the backyard and picked up on things and I've been having such crazy ideas-"

"Did you?" Hyukjae interrupted him. His cheeks were hot red. His eyes were giant.

Donghae knew what the singer feared but he couldn't give him confirmation. Not while looking at him straight in the face. He felt his own face turning a little red too.

"My god. Did you tape me or something?" Hyukjae asked mortified.

"Of course not!" Donghae said in a horrible high pitched note, "god. I'm not a pervert, okay? I won't ever touch like that. I just need to sell the story so this crazy girl would leave me alone. And I know nobody is going to voluntarily help me out on this. So when I run into you and him - look, like I said I'm not a good guy but is going to be over before you know it."

"What the fuck am I supposed to do?" Hyukjae asked frustrated.

Donghae felt sparks of hope in his tummy. Guilty sparks of hope. But hope at least, "I just need to sell the story so maybe a little skinship but just for the show. Share meals whenever our schedules allow it. The normal dating stuff inside the faculty." Donghae burst out before Hyukjae could break out again, "it shouldn't take long and when it's over I'll make sure you don't have to see me ever again."

Hyukjae laid against the wall. Hitting repeatedly the back of his head as he tried to knock himself out before doing something crazy like agreeing.

"These things... they never end well," the singer said.

Donghae knew. But there he was, "I need to try or I'm seriously gonna lose my mind."

"You are just making excuses for your pathetic behavior," Hyukjae quipped. Those brown eyes of him couldn't even look at Donghae anymore, they were lost at some point on the ceiling instead. But Donghae knew very well they were far away from the C building. Probably in the uni's basketball field next to a blacked haired team captain.

Donghae understood Hyukjae wasn't giving in out of fear but out of love. Because that was how big and naive Hyukjae's feelings were. Donghae sighed. Yesung would most certainly become a problem.

"I have a class. Let's meet here afterward so we can set the details," Donghae told him.

Hyukjae didn't move. Donghae scratched his head. It was awkward enough for the singer to shut down and make things harder. But he couldn't blame him.

"I'm done at 4 pm so I'll meet you here, okay?"

Hyukjae didn't bother to respond. Donghae took a step back. And finally left him.

 

\-----

 

"Hey" Yesung called his dongsaeng from two meters away.

"Hi" Hyukjae greeted him back.

He was eating a sandwich. Angrily. Wich was extremely rare since Hyukjae loved to eat before anything else. His dongsaeng would forget the entire world and his problems when he was eating. Yesung knew him well.

"What are you having?" Kim tried to distract him with easy talk.

"Plain boring cheese sandwich" HyukJae answered as if he hated it. He was absently looking at the plant in the center of the table. His mind was clearly out of there. His legs shook nervously and his eyes were wild. They had this fire Yesung had seen only a few times before. Hyukjae rarely got mad. He loved to fake being mad. But he never actually did. He hated people who mistreated others.

Hyukjae was the rational type. He always tried to understand first - as fucking exhausting that sounded. Yesung didn't know how he fucking did it. People around his dongsaeng thought he was just a laid back dude who didn't care. But in reality, HyukJae's heart was always caring. He cared about everyone around him and didn't take them for granted.

"Are you sick?" Yesung questioned, his right hand intended to reach his dongsaeng's forehead to check his temperature.

But Hyukjae was faster, "I have to do some reading before my class, I'm having a pretest and I need to do well," he excused himself.

"Oh- Okay."

"Yeah." Without saying goodbye, Hyukjae picked up his backpack and walked out of the cafeteria. Yesung followed him to the door silently. His personality compelled him to run after him and maybe smack him on the back of his head. But he knew it would do more bad than good so he just watched his dongsaeng walk away from him as this weird hole opened in his guts.

 

\----------------------

 

"Let's get this over with."

"Hello to you too," Donghae told him.

"In no way, I wanted or tried to imply that. Greetings are for people who are happy to see each other" Hyukjae stated before sitting down in one of the desks and putting his bag in another.

Donghae rolled his eyes and locked the door, "I want you to get a haircut. Gossip will spread faster if they can actually see your face and therefore put a name on you so your bangs need to go."

Hyukjae smashed a piece of chalk he had taken from the board against the desk. His knuckles were white, "whatever," he said.

"Since we're doing this for the show we need to make sure every person on this campus knows we are dating."

Hyukjae inhaled air sharply as he listened. His frown was so deep in his face Donghae felt uneasy. He wanted to say sorry, but he knew if he did the man in front of him would end up losing his temper and beating him to death. Skinny or not. Hyukjae still had strong arms.

Donghae had felt them that morning. Lord. If karma was a real thing, he should better avoid buses and taxis. But Hey! Donghae truly believed he could do Hyukjae a favor too. That best friend excuse was bullshit. Donghae was certain Yesung would have to consider lots of things once he finally realized his precious dongsaeng's sexual preferences.

"So first of all, hair stylist," Donghae said, turning his back and walking back to the board to write it.

"I'm not getting something weird" Hyukjae jumped.

"I think you're gonna like what I have in mind," Donghae told him.

Hyukjae glared at him.

"We're going together. Of course. We are dating."

Hyukjae rolled his eyes out of annoyance, "seriously, what is it, man? Your mom skipped her folic acid pills when she carried you, or something? Is your brain damaged?"

"I get that you are angry but I'll appreciate you leaving my mama out of this," Donghae said.

Hyukjae crossed his arms, "like I fuckin care."

So he was able to swear. He was loosing up little by little. Donghae bit the inside of his cheeks to stop himself from smiling.

"We also need to talk about boundaries," Donghae said.

"Like you know what boundaries are," Hyukjae hissed.

Donghae ignored him, "we won't kiss or be intimate like that. This is just for show. Skinship here and there only when my fans are around. We are gonna have to publish pictures together in our social media at least once a week. I'll treat you so you don't have to worry"

"Lucky me."

"You also can't tell Yesung or anyone this is fake, not ever. You are gonna give me your signature on that and I would sign as well my confidentiality towards your business with Yesung and give it to you."

Hyukjae seemed to finally pay attention to that.

"We won't need to be attached by the hips. I'll take care of good timing and that would be enough. I'll just need you to play your part whenever I ask you to," Donghae finished.

"Is that all?" Hyukjae said sarcastically.

"I think I covered everything. Now, sign here," Donghae said as he handed Hykjae the paper he had wrote during his class with all the points they had discussed.

Hyukjae gave it a quick read before signing. He was pretty pissed but he looked less like a serial killer now and more like a bitter child.

"I'll keep this. But I'll scan it with my phone and send it to you" Donghae said reaching his hand out to motion the singer to give him his phone.

Hyukjae rolled his eyes and threw the phone at him. Donghae almost missed it.

"Dude seriously," Donghae chirped losing his patience.

Hyukjae just glared at him. Donghae sighed and saved his number on the singer's phone as Sea lover. Wich earned him another glare.

"What? Corny things is a must in a relationship" Donghae defended himself.

The singer just let it go and took his phone back. He already knew the guy was out of his mind anyway.

"Aren't you curious of what your nickname is?" Donghae asked him as Hyukjae stared at the scan of the contract in his cellphone.

"I'm not a 5 year old. Now, can I go back to my life? kinda sick of your face."

Donghae repressed a smile, "sure."

Hyukjae got out of the classroom so fast he didn't give Donghae the chance to tell him he was leaving his bag behind. Donghae eyed curiously the brown leathered bag, then he counted - one, two, three...

But Hyukjae didn't appear. Maybe he was so angry he had completely forgotten about it. Donghae rolled his eyes, they still had to meet after the singer finished his classes to go to the hair salon. He could return it to him then. Also, carrying his bag meant reliable evidence when their farse went public. But what if the dummy had assignments or books he needed for classes in there? Donghae smiled.

"Seriously," he murmured scratching his head and grabbing the bag to walk outside.

Donghae spotted the singer almost at the stairs, "yah! Monkey," he called. Hyukjae turned his head. Donghae motion his bag in the air as he started walking towards him. Hyukjae waited for him. Hands in his pockets and frown in place. He was so cute he wanted to say thank you. Donghae was amazed - what is even this dude?

Hyukjae took the bag of Donghae's hands and nodded. Donghae bit his lips. "Yah. Are you one of the people who leave their shit everywhere?" he teased.

"Whatever," Hyukjae said as he took the first step of the stairway.

"Don't forget to meet me at 8 in front of the auditorium, I'll pester you if you try to run away."

Hyukjae turned to him again. He opened his lips to maybe tell him to go to hell. But he was interrupted with the noises of a group of girls approaching on the other side of the stairs. Donghae could tell they would turn the corner in seconds and therefore spot them. The seconds stretched as he took Hyukjae's right wrist and pulled him back to the hall. He apparently used to much force because they turned. Donghae instinctively ran his right arm through the waist of the singer to stabilize them both.

Hyukjae scowled at him as his personal space became rudely trespassed. Then he saw the girls behind Donghae's head. He fought to settle his desires to shove Donghae off and kick his damn guts. Donghae's adrenaline peaked that's why he dared to grab Hyukjae's wrist harder. Asking for permission perhaps. It was tricky to communicate when they were that close. Hyukjae just remained still. So Donghae slowly let his wrist go, he breathed Hyukjae's peachy scent as his hand went up his to finally rest on the right side of his face.

Donghae ran his shaky fingers through medium-long hair and aligned them behind Hyukjae's ear. He knew how it had to look from their point of view. Hyukjae's brown eyes met his. _Don't - they said._

But Donghae leaned in anyways. He kept himself there. his left cheek pressed to Hyukjae's chin. Fake kissing him passionately.

Donghae felt the singer's lips moving to mumble: "you disgust me."

"Fair enough," Donghae replied as he leaned the other way to fake kiss him even harder. He felt the flashes on his back shortly after.

 

  
\------------

 

 

"Hyukkie!" Yesung made quite the entrance into the singer's classroom with a big smile on his face.

Hyukjae was reclining on his desk. Worried and overwhelmed. He looked up and barely smiled at his hyung for a second before burying his head in his arms again.

Yesung collapsed on the school desk in front of him wearing his best pout. "what's up with you?" He asked sweetly.

Hyukjae remained silent. He sank his head deeper into the gap between his arms and tried to block his hyung's words in his brain. He was tired of having this damned unrequited love, of wanting Jongwoon to the point of disregarding his feelings and wish him happiness even if it was with someone else. And now. Now he also had to put up with that bastard. And the truth was. Hyukjae was no longer sure if Yesung was worth all of that. He just wanted to be alone for a fucking moment. To lick his open wounds and hopefully reset.

To stop wanting to hate Jongwoon because it was physically impossible and it made him feel awful.

"Yah..." Yesung poked him in the left shoulder but Hyukjae shook him rudely.

Yesung startled. The difference between the two of them was that Yesung, although it seemed the opposite, he had limited patience and when it ran out...shit went down. Yesung heated up and pulled Hyukjae's wrist forcing him to look at him while he snarled, "can't you just fucking tell me what the hell is it that is bothering you this much?!" he demanded.

Hyukjae lost it, "I'm just sick, okay?! I'm sick of all this fuckin shit!" He swore as his eyes started burning. He had never sworn at Jongwoon before and he didn't like any of it but he couldn't stop. His heart ached. His love for him consumed him. "I just need you to be quiet. Just please stand by my side. Is it really too much to fucking ask? Damm it!" Hyukjae pushed his hyung off as he walked outside crying.

The whole class was watching them. The professor hasn't arrived so the room was full. Yesung gathered his dongsaeng's neglected stuff in his bag and hanged it over his other shoulder. Ignoring the disapproving looks of everyone, he left the room. Not before slamming the door to make his message clear.

Yesung walked slowly to the backyard Hyukjae loved to hide in. He felt guilty and angry at himself. His stupid dongsaeng was in love. How he had not seen it. His beautiful Hyukjae was already a grown man around beautiful women of the singing faculty. Hyukjae had slipped through his fingers. Yesung had never taught him the basics of dating. It didn't matter if he always got a bit jealous of sharing his dongsaeng. But he should have at least advice him.

God. I'm the worst - Yesung thought.

Of course, misunderstandings would have a place. His dongsaeng was too straightforward and pure to play the game of love to his favor. Stupid girls - he thought. Times had changed. His dongsaeng was a rare jewel it required knowledge to appreciate his value. Even so, Yesung couldn't bear the thought of someone harming him. He spotted his dongsaeng in no time as he opened the back door of the auditorium. He had keys to the fucking building. The things he had done for his favorite kid.

Hyukjae was sitting on one of the benches looking at the sky as tears streamed down his face. Yesung walked in silence to his dongsaeng. "You swore at me," he said sitting next to him.

Hyukjae went stiff. He probably expected him, "I'm sorry," he cried, "I'm really sorry."

"No, you don't," Yesung begrudged. Hyukjae sobbed, wiping his runny nose with the back of his left hand.

"God. Come here, " Yesung scolded him but hugged him tightly, "I'm the one who is sorry. I've always known everything about you so I didn't know how to handle it. It hurt me stupidly. But you are right, okay? You are growing. It's a natural thing. You are going to have your own secrets and problems. You don't have to share it all with me. I'm sorry I behaved so selfishly. You don't have to feel like you need to tell me everything. If it's hard for you I understand. I just want you to know that whatever it is, it doesn't matter because I'm here for you. I will always be here for you."

Hyukjae looked up at his hyung under the orange sky, a pained expression on his dark beautiful eyes. It was unbelievable but Hyukjae founded himself loving him even more. How was it possible? "I love you," he confessed, "god. I love you like crazy."

"I love you too," his hyung said as he caressed his dongsaeng right cheek with one hand, "to Pluto and back. I don't care if it isn't a planet anymore, is really far away and that's my point."

Hyukjae smiled. His eyes watered again. Yeah. Yesung already loved him deeply - as his friend, his favorite dongsaeng. Hyukjae's shoulder's trembled as the pain in his chest throbbed hard. Yesung arms kept him tightly, his lips placed soft kisses on his dongsaeng's head.

"Sing for me," Hyukjae asked. Whenever he felt his world crashing down. Jongwoon's voice was his cure.

Yesung made him lie down and rest in his lap before accepting, "it’s coming, it’s falling. Between the torn sky. One drop, two drops, a spring shower. I’m drawing you out, calling out to you. As dawn falls like rain. All night, I’m in the rain under a paper umbrella," Yesung whispered his favorite song to him.

Hyukjae clung to his love. Just like the song it was time he ran away from the rain. It was time to say goodbye. He had promised himself he would once he confessed. It didn't matter if Yesung hadn't understood him. It was the closest he was ever gonna get anyways. Hyukjae liked to think in another life he would get his chance. He would shamelessly make his intentions real clear so when he did tell him he loved him there would be no doubt what he meant. In another beautiful life, Jongwoon would finally be his.

In this one though. He had to admit defeat. Hyukjae kept sobbing quietly on his hyung's shoulder, letting himself be drunk of Yesung's scent and voice until his body gave up and his eyes started closing. Under orange nuances and yellow watercolors, Hyukjae saw for the first time something as beautiful as his Jongwoon. Letting go was hard but at the same time, it was the first time in ages he felt at peace.

  
\--------

 

Hyukjae's cellphone vibrated. His eyes opened. It had already darkened. He saw the moon between tired eyelashes. Yesung pinched his nose as he growled.

"We fell asleep," the dongsaeng said stupidly.

"We needed to rest from all the crying," his hyung told him, eyes still closed trying to sleep again.

Hyukjae felt embarrassed. He looked at his cell phone screen because he didn't know what to do with himself. That's when he saw he had three missed calls from 'Sea lover'. _Shit. The hair salon._ He looked at the time. It was 8:30 pm. _Shit._

"Turn off that thing," Yesung complained, snuggling into the hollow of his dongsaeng's shoulder now literally on top of him, "you used to be so soft now there's actual muscles here."

Hyukjae carefully removed him and made him sit. Yesung yawned reluctantly and looked at him. "Your eyes are swollen," he said.

Hyukjae pressed the back of his hands to his eyes, "it will pass." Yeah, it all would pass.

"Come on I'll buy you an ice bag," Yesung said taking his hand and pulling at him.

"I don't wanna," Hyukjae replied still embarrassed.

"But your eyes are swollen"

"Your face is swollen," he said bitterly.

His hyung inhaled air sharply and annoyed, "yah! If you don't get up while I'm asking you nicely I swear I'm gonna carry you like a princess."

Hyukjae forgot about Donghae as he fought childishly with his hyung, "don't wannaaaaa," he screamed when Yesung started pulling at him. 

"I'm gonna start counting. One. Two"

"Stooooop," Hyukjae said as he ran.

"Come on don't be shy," his hyung laughed chasing him, "I know I'm very handsome but don't let it bother you," he continued jiggling his eyebrows goofily.

"I'm not a girl," Hyukjae told him hitting him in the head.

"I'm even sweeter with you!" Yesung complained, knocking them both to the ground. He sniffed at the pale neck of his dongsaeng and made a funny face, "you do smell like a man tho or should I say monkey?" Now he was just pissing around.

Hyukjae was about to smack him again but a voice calling him in the dark stopped him, "monkey, are you here?" It was a man's voice. Yesung looked in the direction of the light floating around from the other part of the yard. It probably came from the screen of a cell phone. Yesung stood up. He was the only one who called Hyukjae like that, "who's asking'"

The light now pointed to both of them. And revealed the face of a man Yesung had seen before - Lee Donghae. Why was Lee Donghae calling his monkey, monkey?

"I thought we said we were gonna meet at 8," Donghae said ignoring Yesung completely, "I was worried."

The guy started walking towards them. Yesung scowled at him for mainly two reasons. The first of them, his stupid light was nearly blinding him. And last - the most important one - why was he speaking so casually to his dongsaeng? He wasn't aware they even knew each other. Donghae was communication's celebrity wannabe and had exactly the type of personality Hyukjae disliked.

"What-?" Yesung tried to say again.

"Oh...right, yes. I..." Hyukjae interrupted him in panic, "I'm sorry I fell asleep."

Yesung looked at his dongsaeng with raised eyebrows, waiting for the introduction. But the dark-haired Donghae just reached out to him and helped him stood up, "we need to hurry, don't forget your bag as earlier."

Hyukjae ran towards the bench for his bag, completely evading his hyung's gaze. "I'll see you tomorrow," he said as a dismissal when he passed by his side. But Yesung did not even have time to answer since they disappeared in a matter of seconds. He walked towards the bench to pick up his stuff too, annoyed and unsure. He had just told his dongsaeng hours ago he did not have to know everything. But Hyukjae would have a damn lot to explain the next day.

His cell phone rang. It was Yoona. He didn't answer. He felt so uneasy he decided to text her instead.

_\- Sorry, I'm a little busy I'll call you when I get home._

 

\--------

 

They didn't talk at all. Not until they were inside of a cab heading towards a Gangnam hair salon.

"I didn't talk to him as we agreed," Donghae said.

"I know. I was there."

Donghae didn't question Hyukjae anymore. He looked away from those swollen eyes and pretended he didn't notice the deeper tone of the singer's voice. It wasn't his place after all. The city lights went on through the car window for endless minutes before Hyukjae dared to speak.

"He," Hyukjae said and stopped to breathe.

Donghae clenched his jaw hoping he would continue.

The singer sighed and rearenged his sitting, "he's gonna be such a pain in the ass when he knows," he said smiling fondly, "but he'll be there for me. I'm thinking. God, I must be crazy but I think he knowing about my sexual orientation might be good for us after all."

Donghae did not know how or what to answer. Hyukjae played with his hands, too embarrassed to look up. "I'm letting him go," he finally said.

Donghae opened his mouth and closed it. He hadn't seen this coming. What did it mean? He started to panic. He felt happy for the Hyukjae guy. At least that bit helped him have a better picture of himself.

"I know it's none of your business. I just wanted to tell someone I guess," Hyukjae continued, "whatever, what I want to say is that since we're doing this I just don't wanna be on fucking edge. I've lived enough like that. So you are getting your way, yay for you and in return, you can help me get away from him at least enough so I can get over him."

"Sounds good to me," Donghae replied, "And you know we don't have to do this today. You've been through enough."

Hyukjae rolled his eyes. "It doesn't matter. Whether is today or tomorrow I'm still gonna hate you for making me cut my hair so let's just get this over with, okay?" He looked outside the window. He did seem pretty tired.

Donghae's heart considered his words even though his reason told him it was better to just stay silent for the sake of his plans but he couldn't stop himself. "I -you can curse me if you want but I do have to say you are really a toughie. Though cookie they say. Although in your case I'm guessing tough monkey?"

"Shut up," Hyukjae said tiredly but laughed.

He looked kind of annoyed at himself for doing so. But Donghae had already heard him. It wasn't an awkward silence for the rest of the trip.

  
\--------------------------------

 

"I think this is the one," Donghae said.

Hyukjae glared at him. "I thought since I'm the one getting the haircut I was gonna get the last word," he complained.

Donghae pursed his lips, "hm...pretty sure this isn't your standard haircut appointment."

"Isn't Gangnam police station near here?" Hyukjae asked one of the hairstylists.

"At the end of the block," she responded.

Hyukjae smiled at her, "such good service. I'm recommending this place."

Donghae rolled his eyes, "you can have the last word between the ones that I choose."

Hyukjae cursed at him to low for him to listen. After about 10 minutes of checking magazines. Donghae found a style he thought would fit Hyukjae very well. The singer was still very deep in the magazines when Donghae approached him smiling complacently. "I hit the jackpot," he said

Hyukjae stared at him disbelieving. He looked at the picture and twisted his gesture. Donghae waited patiently for his opinion.

"We never agreed on hair dyeing."

"Oh come on. You like it. Man up and admit it."

Hyukjae twisted his face again, "that seems like a pricey maintenance hairstyle."

"That's why your sugar babe is for."

Hyukjae looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "are you rich or something?"

"Nope. Just really desperate."

Hyukjae sighed then pouted and after grumbling a little to himself, he finally closed all the other magazines and called the lady. Donghae smiled happily as they put Hyukjae the hairdressing gown and started watering his hair.

"What?" Hyukjae asked when he found Donghae's face through the mirror.

Donghae smiled at him, "you're cute." The hairstylist blushed.

"Please don't mind him," Hyukjae rushed to said embarrassed, "he just likes to bother people."

Donghae covered his face to laugh. He enjoyed the purple mixture the hairstylist had come up with. He felt really pumped out. Step one was almost done. It seemed like his plans would actually work.


	3. Effective First Meetings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love how they flirt with each other yet are completely oblivious.

"So how is it?" Hyukjae asked.

Donghae was speechless.

"God! I told you I should not have dyed my hair, how bad is it?" the now dark purple-haired man panicked towards the nearest mirror. They had decided it was best not to look during the process so he could let the hairstylist work without stress.

Donghae remained silent. Whatever adjective he could come up with felt short. Hyukjae looked gorgeous like he was straight out of a magazine. Even the stylist was astonished at her own work. She asked - pleaded - to take a picture so she could upload it to her work social media accounts.

Hyukjae got red in the face and fidget before nodding. He looked damn good. The stylist had trimmed out the bottom half of his head and left him his beloved bangs but just two inches before his brows. Its straight shape contrasted his face, it added a frame that highlighted his cheekbones and jawline. It made him manlier. But at the same time, the dark purple tone of his now permed hair looked stylish and cool.

There was no way anyone could miss him at college tomorrow. Everything was falling into place and Donghae found himself excited.

The lady came and asked Hyukjae to have a seat in a chair at the entrance to take his picture. It kinda looked like a vintage set. Wooden background. Great lighting.

"Here," she said.

Hyukjae walked embarrassed to where he was told to. He sat at the end of the chair, one arm over, looking away as he was instructed. The flashes went on. Donghae laughed at his awkwardness, "yah! Stop pretending to be shy," he teased.

Hyukjae's eyes told him to fuck off.

All the other stylists gradually came to see him and at some point joined the photoshoot. Donghae somehow ended up as the photographer. It was all giggles and smiles because Hyukjae was a really funny dude. Too bad he hated Donghae too much to share his jokes with him.

"You should take a picture with your boyfriend now," the stylist said ashamed after Donghae complained of his back hurting. She rushed the girls to leave Hyukjae alone.

"Why?" one of them complained.

Donghae dropped down in Hyukjae's lap before anyone could say anything, including Hyukjae himself, "is this okay?" he asked the girls supporting himself in Hyukjae's shoulder, almost hugging him.  
  
Hyukjae moved to make him room. Thinking that's why Donghae had sit on his lap. But Donghae didn't move and looked devilish at him. The stylists giggled. Hyukjae shoved him off at the next second but a flash did manage to went off before that.

They greeted everybody once they realized it was close to midnight. Donghae took out his wallet and bought the products the stylist advised. He would be eating ramen by the end of the month. But it was worth it. The lady came back with his credit card shortly after and thanked him.

"No, thank you, " Donghae pointed out.

Hyukjae simply took the bag of products as he had bought it himself and walked outside still talking about ramen with another of the stylists that happened to be as passionate about packaged ramen as him.

"Hope we see you guys soon. We have special students discounts," the stylist greeted doing a reverence.

"That's great! You are really talented," Donghae said. He felt happy he was actually talking to a beautiful girl so easily. He thought of asking her number but it would be too straight forward and weird since he was pretending to be gay and all. He stepped back as an idea roamed his head. "Can I have the pictures you took earlier?" he said as he motioned his phone in the air.

"Of course!" she said immediately.

He received a kakao talk with the photos and therefore her number.

"Best service ever," Donghae said as he pretended to look the pictures on his screen. He was actually seeing the profile picture of the girl. No filters. Natural make up. Totally his style. He bowed at her as well and smiled the way he knew best and turned around to head out.

"Hyukjae," he called once he was outside.

He found the guy staring at his phone.

"Where's your friend?" Donghae asked him.

Hykjae shrugged, "I called her a cab, I'm watching her get safely." He said as he showed Donghae his phone.

The dark-haired man couldn't help but smile at his innocence. He had left him for less than 2 minutes and a girl already gave him her address. Damn, "what a gentleman," he commented almost sure Hyukjae wasn't going to pick on his joke.

"Some of us were raised the right way" Hyukjae stated proudly.

Donghae rolled his eyes. "Whatever Romeo. Now. Why don't we call a cab? It's late."

Hyukjae agreed. Donghae proceeded to ask for a cab on his phone. They waited for it a couple of minutes. Donghae stretched out and sighed. He was tired but content. He spied at the singer as he watched the moon in silence and noticed Hyukjae's eyes weren't swollen anymore.

In a twisted ironical way, Donghae had actually kept him company when most needed but Hyukjae would never admit to it.

Donghae decided he really liked him.

 

* * *

 

 

  
"I'll pick you up tomorrow," Donghae told him when they arrived at Hyukjae's apartment.

Hyukjae shrugged. He fitted his keys in the lock and did some kind of gesture that wanted to resemble a 'goodnight' or maybe just a 'night night' before he disappeared behind the door.

Donghae smiled.

Their apartments weren't that far away so he decided to walk. In his way, he distracted himself by looking through the new pictures on his gallery. They all had turned out great. He zoomed on Hyukjae's shy smile and felt himself smiling.

The last photo was theirs. The one, Yuri - the hairstylist - got to take before Hyukjae pushed him off. Donghae was sitting on Hyukjae's left thigh and mockingly holding into him with both of his hands entwined behind his neck. He was laughing hard. Hyukjae just looked like he was enduring an annoying kid. It was a hilarious picture so Donghae ended up saving it as his phone wallpaper.

 

* * *

 

  
"What?!" Yesung asked/screamed. He was still on his pajamas and brushing his teeth.

"Yeah. I know I should have told you sooner," the voice of his dongsaeng tried to soothe him from the other line.

"Hyukjae! One does not simply call and tells his best friend he's dating someone as if it is nothing, okay? I want all the details," Yesung demanded not caring if he burst the eardrums of his dongsaeng in the process.

"I know this comes out weirdly timed but you know that's - that's how love is?" Hyukjae sweated. He smacked himself in the head for doing so poorly. At least Yesung wasn't there to see him get mortified to death.

"Yah! I - wow I'm speechless and kinda hurt not gonna lie," Yesung said. He spat the toothpaste out and took some water. Apparently, his dongsaeng wasn't going to tell him anything more because he remained silent and listened to Yesung fucking rinse his mouth three damn times, "are you serious?!" He ended up yelling.

"I'm not fighting over the phone, okay?," Hyukjaed pleaded.

Yesung breathed in and out. He was happy for his dongsaeng. Of course. He just. He didn't understand. "I'm really not overreacting. It's just really out of nowhere but I'm happy if you are happy. Always."

"Yeah?" his dongsaeng asked with a thin voice.

"Of course. Who is she? I wanna met her."

Hyukjae went silent for a while. Yesung almost ate his cellphone with anxiety, "I'll introduce you, okay? I just wanted you hearing from me first now stop freaking out."

"I'm not," Yesung lied.

"Thank you. Now I'm going to hang up I have classes first thing so..." Hyukjae trailed off.

"Wait!" Yesung yelled.

They stood in silence for a couple of seconds.

"What is it?" The purple headed dared to ask. Inside his heart, he still craved to gain some kind of reaction out of his forever love. He was helplessly like that after all.

"What if I don't like her?" Yesung asked dumbly. His fingers grasped at his cellphone like he waa holding for dear life 

A weak giggle was heard from the other side, "if I let my romance interests be filtered by you I might as well die alone."

"You won't die alone. You always have me," Yesung refuted.

"You have Yoona now. You can't just promise me that," Hyukjae scolded him bitterly. Because his hyung was always so unfair when he talked. But he also was completely unaware and stupid so Hyukjae obligated himself to shut up. If he thought about it he had never lost to his jealousy before. He feared Donghae's incident had open a door in him. One that let him speak out his mind. Hyukjae managed to let the words out of his mouth, "I'm hanging up, okay? I'll see you at uni."

"Okay," Yesung replied. He was red in the face and feeling like an asshole. He flopped down on his mattress cursing. His mind felt dizzy and his body somehow alienated.

 

* * *

 

"Hey there! Good Morning! Is Hyukjae here?"

A pair of eyes looked at Donghae curiously as she nodded slowly.

"Could you tell him I'm here?" Donghae kneeled down to ask the little girl with a smile. The baby girl cheeks lit up as she nodded awkwardly again.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Lee Jiyeon," she responded.

"Who is it?" A second head peeked through the door, "how can we help you?" she said glancing at him curiously. She was older. Fourteen or fifteen maybe.

"As I told Jiyeon-shi," Donghae winked as he mentioned her. The baby giggled. Donghae loved how open and honest kids were, "I'm looking for Hyukjae."

"Oppa? Well, he is eating breakfast right now. Who are you?" the girl asked.

"Oh yeah! Sorry, my name is Donghae. Lee Donghae," he greeted smiling.

"Donghae?" The older sister's eyes looked at him curiously. "Girls! There's a handsome man looking for our cousin! Four more heads squeezed in the door.

"So you're our oppa's friend? How you guys met?" Asked one.

"Are you the one that convinced him to get a haircut? He looks so handsome now," commented another

"Woah, are those flowers for him?" questioned another of them.

"How old are you?" Asked another.

"This is so random. Oppa has never mentioned you before."

"And here I always thought he would end up dating Yesung-Oppa" dramatized the other.

"But this oppa is not bad either," argued the little one.

"You're right," agreed the previous one. Donghae felt dizzy. They were many to keep up.

"Can you guys tell me what's all the fuss about?" another girl's voice was heard from the hallway.

Soon an adult girl with brown eyes and a face shape Donghae had seen before appeared by the door.

"Noona he's looking for oppa," the one in the school uniform said.

The girl looked at Donghae and his bouquet of roses but smiled politely, "I'm Lee Sora. Are you friends with my little brother?" Donghae nodded, "Wait here I'll call him," she said, "Now girls please follow me inside and stop cornering this young man."

Donghae was left alone at the doorway. Hyukjae didn't take much time to appear behind the door. He was already styled up. He looked even better under the sunlight, "what the fuck is that?" he asked staring at the red roses Donghae had in his left hand.

Donghae's smile was wide. "Go big or go home," he said shrugging.

Hyukjae stared at him, "I'm not taking that."

"Is he your boyfriend?" Asked his sister sticking his head through the window. She had a pair of glasses on. Donghae wondered if the only reason she had left him alone was to search for her glasses and take a proper look at him. The corners of Donghae's mouth lifted up as he bowed his greetings.

Hyukjae went red in the face. "go inside you pervert!" He screamed at her.

She rolled her eyes and whispered, "party pooper" before closing the window.

Donghae laughed, "your sister is cute."

"Don't even think about it!" The purple-head snaped with a frown that only in him could look attractive, "she is beyond your reach, end of discussion."

"Hey! I did not mean it in that sense," Donghae defended himself with indignance.

"Whatever, just remember it," Hyujae threatened.

Donghae rolled his eyes, "we haven't said even hi and we're already arguing," he complained.

Hyukjae's expression was menacing.

"I think we're making them uncomfortable, look, they haven't even kissed each other good morning," said a voice behind the door. Then other's shushed her.

"Lee Sora!" Hyukjae exploded covering his face with his hands, "we're leaving right now! Please get home safely and greet mom for me, okay?" he shouted banging the door once in his Hyukjae way of wholeheartedly caring for his relatives even though he was pissed and embarrassed.

Donghae had to bite the inside of his cheeks to not smile as widely as he wanted.

"Yes sir," they all answered in chorus.

Hyukjae dragged him down the street without looking back, red ears and red-faced, "god they are so embarrassing," he grunted.

A brightness of joy lighted Donghae's eyes as he saw Hyukjae's hand pulling at his left elbow like a small child. He followed him and tried to guess how long was going to take him to realize it. His purple-head definitely stood up from the crowd. People around them noticed and Donghae smiled at them proudly.

Hyukjae didn't stop until he ran into a friend. She was from his dancing classes. A pretty tall gall with sophisticated manners. She almost didn't recognize him until she heard his voice. Then she glanced at Donghae as her eyes questioned who? And why he was having such an impressive bouquet of red roses under his arm.

The singer stopped cold, he turned to look at Donghae with wondering eyes.

"He is Donghae," Hyukjae finally said, "he's my boyfriend."

The girl's eyes widened, "oh," she said, "you guys look really good together."

Donghae nodded in agreement and proceeded to hold Hyukjae's hand properly, swinging it in the air and happily annoying the singer at the same time. Hyukjae endured it with a feigned smile. Short after they said goodbye to her and went back to their way to college.

However, less than a couple of minutes later the number of university students they encountered increased considerably.

"We're almost there monkey," Donghae whispered mellowly it was a real advantage they were almost the same height. They had agreed on escorting Hyukjae to his faculty building.

Hyukjae sighed defeated, "there's a block left," he pointed in a whisper.

Donghae started taking in the eyes that wouldn't leave them.

"I'm realizing we haven't discussed this at all," Donghae regretted and tried not to panic, "what the fuck is even our story? Did we fuck in our first date? Was I on top?"

Hyukjae pinched his hand to make him shut up.

"Just give me that and back up whatever the hell I come up with, okay?" Hyukjae urged, suddenly standing firmly in front of everyone's gaze and cellphones. He took the bouquet of Donghae's hands and flushed pink as he leaned in to kiss Lee Donghae's left cheek.

The flashes went off. People screamed. It all became a huge mess.

"I'll see you after classes," the singer said and pulled away.

Donghae didn't let him. He pulled him in again. A foreign kind of warm ran through his body and assembled on his chest, where his heart was located. He felt it pumping his blood with much more force. Encouraged, he squeezed that hand between his own, "not If I see you first," he flirted, lips brushing the singer's temple.

Hyukjae endured his horrible cheesiness the best he could - Donghae was really proud of him - then he pushed him off softly. Eyes fixed on the ground. Shy and gorgeous as he felt the stares of the crowd. "I won't let them bite you," Donghae promised.

Hyukjae nodded. He winced and finally dared to look up, "I love you," he said loud enough to be heard and then started walking backwards until he finally entered his faculty building.

Donghae waved at him and decided he was going to buy him an expensive meal. He had earned it. He turned around smiling happily. He took almost two steps towards the C building where he had a seminar to attend but abruptly felt this loaded stare that made him look around frowning.

That's when he found black violent eyes through the crowd.

Oh.

 


End file.
